I have not found what I am looking for but I found this that I agree with
quote author=Albufera32 link=topic=886919.msg7601036#msg7601036 date=1730461749]
Of course, primary sources, such as birth, death and marriage registers, are only as accurate as the knowledge (or honesty) of the informant allows.
Even primary sources may be incorrect, which is why it is normally regarded as the gold standard to have a minimum of three pieces of evidence. In an ideal world, those would all be irrefutable, but sadly when it comes to family history even the most apparently reliable sources may be complete fiction.
Quite apart from the obvious case of a father registering a birth completely unaware of his wife's dalliance with the milkman, both marriage and death registers may be incorrect either because the informant deliberately lied or made an honest mistake (which in turn may just be a lapse of memory or simple ignorance).
Primary sources are certainly not guaranteed to be accurate. In an ideal world, all sources should be backed up by further evidence, and three sources is often considered the minimum standard, but in the messy world of family history research, three reliable sources may not be easy to find. Even if you have three statutory registers of birth death and marriage they may not quite agree and there may be a question as to the reliability of an informant's information. Ultimately it is still a judgement call much of the time - do I consider these sources adequate proof that this is the correct person to fit in my tree?
The point I was actually trying to make is that Ancestry trees are sources just like any other (secondary sources, but sources all the same) and like any other source, it is necessary to make a judgement of how much weight they should carry. Whether you consider the information from an Ancestry tree reliable enough to add into your tree as valid is, ultimately, down to your judgement.
In summary of both my posts here, what I am really saying is - an Ancestry tree is a source like any other (secondary) source. Please just don't dismiss what might be the one clue to solving that obstinate brick wall without even looking just because it comes from an Ancestry Tree. Check the source and make the judgement call.
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